Eddington (2025)

What is Eddington About?

Ari Aster’s Eddington is a must-see if you love all things Western, quirky, and witty. It’s off-beat, thrilling, and stacked with the very best names in Hollywood, including Pedro Pascal, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler. 

This Western flick follows the feud between a corrupt sheriff named Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and a cunning mayor who goes by Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). Along the way, we’re introduced to a bizarre set of characters in the story, including sharp-witted local Louise Cross (Emma Stone) and ambitious gunslinger Vernon Jefferson Peak (Austin Butler).

It’s not long before uneasy alliances form and tensions start to heat up, leading the town down a rabbit hole of violence, mystery, and unnerving revelations. 

Our Honest Eddington Review

If you’re after a bit of dark humour, Western charm, and surreal energy, then Eddington is definitely worth a watch. It’s pretty off-beat and undoubtedly quirky, so it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it definitely sticks with you and stands out as an unforgettable and morbidly fascinating watch. 

Besides the obvious Western twang that gives it all the visual appeal, the actual writing itself and the standout performances from Hollywood’s very best make Eddington worth the hype. 

If we were to round up the overall vibe of Eddington, we’d say it’s strange, stylish, and wild. It’s a complete remix of the classic Western trope you’re used to, offering a fresh, contemporary take on some of cinema’s most-loved archetypes.

What Do the Critics Think of Eddington?

• “Eddington is a film that’s home to my three favourite cryptids: Ari Aster, Joaquin Phoenix, and politics” – Charlotte Simmons, The Treatment.

• “It’s anchored by a typically intense performance from Phoenix, who makes Joe’s descent from placid local servant to frantic megalomaniac compelling even when it tests credibility. Eddington is often an uncomfortable watch, but you won’t want to look away” – Nick Levine, NME.

• “Seriously, where is the great art about the world-realigning madness we’ve been going through for a half-decade now? Maybe Eddington is the first entry in that, even if it is fairly simplistic (and expectedly, delightedly weird)” – Ryan Syrek, The Reader.
  
• “Eddington is the most pronounced and developed iteration of phone-led narrative in Aster’s work to date: the pings of notifications working as sonic jump scares” – Caitlín Doherty, New Statesman.

What Awards and Nominations Did Eddington Receive?

While Eddington has only just hit the big screen, it’s already collected a bunch of 5-star reviews from the biggest critics in the game, and it’s been nominated for the Palme d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. 

Cast & Crew of Eddington

Eddington is bedazzled with Hollywood’s biggest names, including Pedro Pascal, Joaquin Phoenix, Austin Butler, Emma Stone, and loads more. And behind the weird and wonderful Western madness is Ari Aster, the genius behind huge hits like Beau Is Afraid (2023), Midsommar (2019), and Hereditary (2018).

Fun Facts About Ari Arster: 

• Born in New Mexico, where Eddington is set, Arster took lots of inspiration from the landscapes he grew up in. 
• It’s rumoured that Arster bolted from the cinema when watching Dick Tracy (1990) because he was so afraid. 
• He’s known to rigorously research themes and history for his movies. In Midsommar, for instance, he spent months studying Scandinavian folklore.

Fun Facts About Joaquin Phoenix: 

• This is Phoenix’s second collaboration with Arster, after they previously worked on Beau Is Afraid (2023).
• Outside of acting, he’s also a mega animal rights activist.
• He shared numerous times that he admires Aster’s technical precision and emotional intuition, and it’s a main reason why he enjoys working with him.

Fun Facts About Pedro Pascal:

• This is his first time collaborating with Arster.
• Eddington is Pascal’s second Western-themed movie, with his first being Strange Way of Life (2023). 
• Despite studying acting at NYU and playing small roles in theatre gigs, it was Pascal’s Game of Thrones role that made him break into Hollywood. 

Fun Facts About Eddington

Here are some wild, fun facts about Eddington: 

• Eddington is heavily inspired by a real-life feud between a sheriff and a mayor that happened during lockdown..

• The movie has loads of easter eggs that nod to pop culture moments and social media, like memes and fake news.

• Eddington was originally going to be Ari Aster’s directorial debut, but he ditched it and released Hereditary (2018) first instead.

• Christopher Abbott was originally casted for the role of Vernon Jefferson Peak, but pulled out because his schedule was too busy.

• The movie ended up costing around $50 million USD to make.

Themes of Eddington

Other than the obvious Western vibe of Eddington, the film serves up lots of profound themes that reflect modern society. The mayor-sherriff feud reflects how power struggles can warp morality, ignite control, and kick up chaos.

Isolation during the pandemic is another rodeo in Eddington. It explores how the disconnection and paranoia caused by isolation led to society’s twisted and absurd coping mechanisms, like social media outbursts and the circulation of new conspiracy theories.

Aster also uses dark humour as a symbol of coping, which facilitates many of the awkward silences and off-beat moments throughout the movie. 

How Does Eddington Compare to Ari Aster’s Other Work?

In all honesty, Eddington sticks out like a sore thumb amongst all of Aster’s other work. His go-to vibe is horror, whereas Eddington is mainly a dark comedy thriller flick that’s wrapped up in tumbleweeds and tangled in lassoes.

While it might not have any paranormal hauntings or creepy folky cults, it is saddled up with some of Aster’s signature elements, like surrealism, existential dread, and of course, lingering shots. 

Iconic Scenes from Eddington

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

We’ve herded the wildest trivia about Eddington:

• Truying New Cinematography: This is the first film that Ari Aster’s ever made without his trusted partner in crime and cinematography expert Pawel Pogorzelski.  Instead, he teamed up with Darius Khondji.

• AI Phenomena: In the movie, there’s a data center called “SolidGoldMagikarp”, which is actually based on a real-life glitch where AI becomes nonsensical because of certain prompts.

• Work Buddies: Eddington isn’t Emma Stone and Joaquin Phoenix’;s first rodeo. They both starred in Irrational Man (2015) together.  
  
• Ari Aster’s Muse: Ari Aster and Joaquin Phoenix are known to have a close bond when it comes to filmmaking. Phoenix previously starred as the lead in Arster’s previous horror, Beau is Afraid (2023).
  
• Baby, You’re a Firework: In one of the wilder and weirder scenes, Katy Perry’s Firework plays on full blast. The original song choice was Jay-Z’s Empire State of Mind, but Arster couldn’t secure the rights to use it.
  

What’s the Soundtrack Like for Eddington?

The soundtrack to Eddington is somewhat of a fever dream. The score is composed by Bobby Krlic, who’s famed for his eerie, atmospheric sounds. The music is somewhat humorous as it mocks characters with Western motifs, like the plucking of a guitar string. There’s also lots of percussion going on, which amplifies the growing tension.

Best Quotes from Eddington

Here’s a roundup of our favourite quotes from Eddington:

• “We need to free each other’s hearts” – Joe Cross, trying to reconcile the town’s fury and growing tension.

• “You want things simple and neat. We are in a fight against evil,” Vernon’s online rant.

• “How did we get here? And even worse, is it worth it? At the cost of being at war with your neighbours,” – Joe Cross to Mayor Ted Garcia.

• “Your pain is not a coincidence. You are not a coincidence. We are not a coincidence,” Vernon said, spreading his philosophies to the local townspeople in a public rant.

• “You can’t keep your own office going, but you’re going to run mine?” – Ted Garcia, biting back at Joe Cross during a heated confrontation.

What People Are Asking About Eddington

Joaquin Phoenix as Sheriff Joe Cross

Joaquin Phoenix is no stranger to a weird and wonderful flick, so it only seems right that he takes the lead as Sheriff Joe Cross in Eddington. His other most notable works include Joker (2019), Walk the Line (2005), and Gladiator (2000), all of which are a testament to his fearlessness as an actor.